According to ESPN NFL Nation reporter Nick Wagoner, the Indianapolis Colts have reportedly closed on a deal with former St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Kendall Langford. It was reported earlier this week that Langford was set to visit the Colts and apparently, things went well:
And Colts just made it official on former Rams DT Kendall Langford. He's agreed to terms.
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) March 10, 2015
The 7-year veteran has played for both the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis in his career with 90 career starts. Last season in 4 starts with the Rams, Langford made 25 tackles and a sack. While he started the season as the starter, he eventually lost his starting spot to standout rookie Aaron Donald, but still remained a rotational defensive lineman for the Rams.
It’s interesting because with Cory Redding now announcing his return, it’s possible that Langford could presumably become his replacement. At 6’6″, 313 pounds, Langford seems a bit light for a 3-4 nose tackle, but has more than enough size to play as a 3-4 defensive end. In addition to Langford, the Colts have also been closely linked to Detroit Lions defensive lineman Nick Fairley.
In my opinion, Langford seems like a rotational defensive lineman for the Colts, if they truly want to upgrade their defensive line. That’s not saying he’s a bad player, but he doesn’t appear to be a clear upgrade over any of their starting defensive ends last season. In fact, he may be a bit of a downgrade. Still, that doesn’t mean he can’t fulfill a role like Ricky Jean-Francois did for the Colts last season as a rotating defensive lineman and occasional spot starter.
Still only 29 years old, Langford still figures to have at least a handful of productive years for the Colts. He has starting experience and would provide proven defensive line depth for the Colts. However, here’s hoping in addition to Langford, the Colts are still aiming to shoot a bit higher with a high-end starting caliber player like Fairley as well.
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